Beijing Climate Centre

Third Session of the Forum on Regional Climate Monitoring, Assessment and Prediction for Asia (FOCRAII)

(First Circular)

2006-08-10

Beijing, China,

4-6 April 2007

Background &Objectives

Climate variations and changes have significant impacts on the welfare and sustainability of every society. This is particularly the case for the communities within the RAII region. The Asian region usually experiences high seasonal variability and change, including extreme events such as floods, typhoons, droughts, snow storms, etc. due to its geographic location relative to some of the key natural climate phenomena driving the climate of the region such as monsoon and ENSO.

Almost 4 billion people, over 60% of the world’s population, live in this region and a large part live below the poverty line. Food and water security, poverty reduction, health, economic and developmental activities, all highly climate dependent, are major challenges. These characteristics provide major challenges and opportunities for the scientific community to provide early warning systems for the onset of climate events, particularly extreme events, to prevent and minimize the impacts of climatic hazards and safeguard life and property of people and the environment within RAII.

Major scientific advancements in understanding and predicting the onset of major climate events in recent years on seasonal to inter-annual timescales have provided the framework from which society can prevent or minimize loss of life and property. The successful prediction of the onset of the 1997/98 El Nino event greatly assisted many countries and local communities within the RAII region to prepare locally relevant and appropriate response strategies in advance of the event, which led to major economic savings and minimized loss of life.

From 2005 to 2006, two sessions of Climate Outlook Forum (FOCRAII), sponsored by China Meteorological Administration (CMA) and WMO, were successfully held by Beijing Climate Centre of CMA (BCC). The forum provided a platform to share the experience of seasonal to interannual climate prediction methodologies and systems as well as prediction products. And they were response to addressing the needs of the RAII region for climate monitoring, assessment and prediction (CliMAP).

The main objectives of the Forum are:

1. To review the progress made in CliMAP programs and activities both within RAII and internationally with a specific focus on the challenges and opportunities in seasonal to inter-annual climate prediction methodologies and systems unique to the RAII region.

2. To provide a platform for the members of RAII to share and exchange experience and knowledge on CliMAP.

3. To build collaboration and partnerships among the members of RAII in CliMAP programs as well as other international partners and activities.

4. To identify needs of end-users through a dialog among different groups.

Themes

Advances in seasonal to interannual climate prediction in Asia (seasonal prediction on East Asian summer monsoon)

Advances in climate system model in Asia;

Advances in climate monitoring and climate impact assessment;

Climate change in arid and semi-arid regions in Asia;

Training sessions on methods of climate diagnostics, prediction and impact assessment;

Tailored climate products/climate information application and services;

Meeting with end users;

We invite scientists, policy makers, practitioners, scholars and journalists to participate in this Forum and to submit abstracts for presentations and posters related to one of the forum themes.

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

Chair: Qin Dahe

Dong Wenjie, Song Lianchun, Chen Zhenlin, Chao Qingchen , Luo Yong, Li Weijing, Chen Deliang , Zhai, Panmao Zhang Renhe , Ren Jiawen , Zhang Xiaoye, Huang Jianping , Yang Xiuqun , Yan Yuping

FOCRAII ORGANIZER

Beijng Climate Center

World Meteorological Organization